41. EPILOGUE
EPILOGUE
We began marching the day after the feast. It was a late start because almost everyone, including my dad and brother, had imbibed on the Vandruk's skoff a little bit too much. Slowly, group by group, khadahrs began splitting off to return to their lands. Gwyn, Amber, Jenna, and I said our weeping goodbyes—even Amber wiped a tear from the corner of her eyes. We promised to visit each other soon and to have an annual khadahrshi get-together. It was the first time not having computers or phones hit home. I supposed the old snail mail would come back into fashion and vowed to make that a thing just like I would create the first newspaper.
To my surprise, Matt was fully onboard with that idea and requested to stay with Ghan-Zahr and me for a while. I was more than grateful for his offer. He had studied Vandruk history, and putting our minds together, I was sure we could come up with a real newspaper.
Amber was still peeved that—after a vote—she didn't get to dispatch Weidenhof to his deserved end—at least not the way she had wanted to. Instead, Weidenhof would join the priests inside the cave—if they were still alive—and have a few agonizing days to ponder his life before it would slowly end.
Ghan-Zahr was anxious to get home and finally see his sister again. Still, he kept our pace slow to accommodate my family. He was the most thoughtful man I had ever met and more than happy that he was mine.
"I owe them everything," he said when I thanked him for slowing down. His gaze caught mine, stopping my breath and weakening my knees. I blinked back tears of happiness.
"I love you," I uttered, meaning it from the bottom of my heart.
"And I you. I would do anything for your family. Not only because you wouldn't be here if they hadn't come, but because I see you in each of them."
Had it not been lunchtime, I would have pulled him into the tent to be alone with him, but as it was, we needed to get going again.
"It's really pretty here," Nat sidled up to me as soon as we began marching.
"Right?" I took a deep breath in and a moment to appreciate the tall asparagus trees. My heart was ready to burst. It was so full with love and happiness that it was frightening.
Farther ahead, Brian was keeping up with Than-Rhod. The two were in a deep discussion over something, even though they didn't speak each other's language. Cara was walking with Pattie and my mom, making fun of her husband, I was sure.
To my surprise, we camped earlier than I would have anticipated, even considering that my family wasn't used to the marching yet. Ghan-Zahr approached my dad and Brian, and together, the three of them took off.
"Where are they going?" Mom wanted to know.
"Let's go follow and find out"." Cara took my words right out of my mouth.
Had I said my heart was ready to burst earlier?
Well, it about did when we found the three men by a large lake. I had no idea where Ghan-Zahr had acquired the fishing rods from; perhaps one of his warriors had carried them the entire time. It didn't matter. Watching the three men who meant everything to me bond while Ghan-Zahr showed them how the alien rods worked brought me so much joy that, again, I felt as if I would burst with happiness.
That feeling only increased when with a whoop of glee, my dad pulled out what I was sure was the largest fish he had ever caught. The men high-fived each other before the poor creature was dispatched.
"I have a feeling you'll be eating fish tonight, Momma"." Cara snickered at my mother.
A long sigh from Mom was betrayed by the smile on her face when she looked as lovingly at Cara as she did at all of us. Cara was like a daughter to her and I hoped one day she would look at Ghan-Zahr like she looked at Brian.
We marched for three more days, and with each day, my mom looked stronger and healthier than she had in years. So did my dad, who had taken to holding her hand for most of the walking. The two of them giggled like teenagers in love, bringing my already high happy meter up even more.
"I really like your family," Ghan-Zahr told me when we snuggled up in our tent.
"They like you too," I said, meaning it. Just that morning, my dad had told me that Ghan-Zahr was a fine young man .
Around midmorning the next day, the scenery ahead of us changed. In the distance, I made out houses and fields. As we closed in, I spotted corralled animals.
"Well, I'll be damned," Dad shouted out with joy in his voice. "Ranches."
"You're retired"." Mom nudged him, but with an indulgent smile.
As we walked by the fenced-off areas and open farmlands, Dad studied them with a critical eye, watching a larger animal chase a smaller one back to its mother, who turned, hissing at the bull . Even though these weren't cows, that's what came to my mind when I watched the giant animal. In parts, it reminded me of a buffalo, albeit one with six legs and four horns.
"You know if you separate the females from the males, you won't have any hurt calves," Dad informed Ghan-Zahr, who had also watched the spectacle.
"That's a great idea." Ghan-Zahr's face lit up.
"Also, you might want to cull some of the bulls; that'll tone that aggression down some," Dad continued.
'"That's excellent advice! Any other tips?"
Dad looked around. "I'll let you know in a few days."
"Your dad will be of great help to us," Ghan-Zahr told me, kissing the top of my head. Pride filled me. Yes, Dad would do just fine here. He already looked more animated than I had seen him since he retired .
"What is that?" Nat asked, pointing toward a large building still a mile or so away. It stood tall, reminding me of a medieval stronghold.
"My house," Ghan-Zahr stated with a pride-filled voice.
"That's not a house . That's a palace"," Patti corrected, shaking her head, looking at me, mouthing, who is this guy ?
I couldn't answer her just then because I, too, was rendered speechless. Of course, I had been aware that Ghan-Zahr was a khadahr, which implied lord or king, but even when he had commanded a hundred warriors, I hadn't imagined him ruling lands like this or a castle , for that matter.
Smaller houses surrounded Ghan-Zahr's residence, and narrow roads led through them just like they did in any other town I had ever visited. The blow of a horn startled me, just as the sight of hundreds of armed warriors moving out of the castle did. One would think I would have gotten used to the sight of all these Vandruk warriors by now, but these were Ghan-Zahr's. I swallowed. He commanded all these men.
A shout went out when the large army came closer, and they recognized their khadahr. As soon as the shout was out, doors opened, and people poured out from the castle and the houses, shouting Ghan-Zahr's name.
Ghan-Zahr's face lit up when he spotted many women among the men, and I grabbed his hand, touched by what he must be experiencing.
One tall woman separated from the groups; she lifted her skirts and ran even faster.
"Mynarra"." Ghan-Zahr's voice was barely over a whisper.
A strange sensation ran through me, and tears welled in my eyes. I couldn't imagine thinking one of my family dead for ten years. I let go of Ghan-Zahr's hand and pushed him. "Run to her," I urged.
He looked at me strangely. "Khadahrs don't run."
"When they're greeted by their long-lost sister, they do," I corrected him, pushing him.
With a small grin on his face for me, he did just that, falling into a sprint. When he reached his sister, he grabbed her by the waist and twirled her around. More tears ran down the sides of my face now.
"Wow," Nat said.
"Yeah, wow," I replied, taking her hand.
Ghan-Zahr and Mynarra were hugging each other tightly, and I followed Nat's hand pull to approach the two.
More people had reached the twins, forming a circle around them.
Mynarra looked up when she saw me approach, and nervousness spread inside my stomach. What if she didn't like me?
"Mynarra, this is my khadahrshi, Rachel. Rachel, this is my sister, Mynarra."
Mynarra said something I didn't understand, reminding me once again that I needed to learn Vandruk. Ghan-Zahr had been tutoring us during the march, but I had no idea what she was saying. Learning new languages really wasn't my forte. Not even close. I had taken German and French in school, hoping to one day visit Europe, but in all honesty, I didn't remember a word, even though I had studied both for four years.
"She welcomes you," Ghan-Zahr translated for me.
"How do you say sister in Vandruk?" I asked him.
"Satona," he replied.
I held out my hand to Mynarra. "Satona?" I asked.
Mynarra used my hand to pull me into her embrace.
"Satona," she agreed.
Matt cleared his throat by my side, and Ghan-Zahr introduced him to Mynarra. When the two shook hands, they held on a little bit longer than people normally did, and the small smile splaying across both of their lips didn't escape me. Neither did the widening of their pupils as they took each other in. It was my turn to smile, thinking that maybe both of their stories would also find a happy end. "Khadahrshi Rachel!" Ghan-Zahr suddenly announced, turning my attention away from Matt and Mynarra, who stared at each other like long-lost lovers.
Ghan-Zahr grabbed my hand and pulled it up while all the Vandruk surrounding us took up his call.
"Khadahrshi Rachel," they shouted, turning my face flaming red. Not for a second had I thought I would be accepted by Ghan-Zahr's people like this. They seemed to accept me without reservation. As much as I searched their faces, I saw only happiness. Not one person looked at me even with a slight apprehension or distrust.
"Your people," Ghan-Zahr said.
My people , I thought, unable to fully comprehend the scope of my new situation. But Ghan-Zahr squeezed my hand and I knew together there wasn't any obstacle we couldn't overcome. I would learn Vandruk and earn the reverence they were so freely showing me.
Matt would be a huge help in this, too. My eyes searched for him, and when they found him, he was staring at Mynarra as if thunderstruck. I grinned, wondering if he finally had found a mate as well. He sure as hell deserved one.
Thinking of it, I turned to my sisters, who, open-mouthed, drooling over the assembled Vandruk. Nat was already openly flirting with a young man who resembled Ghan-Zahr.
"Let's have another feast," Ghan-Zahr announced. Pulling me into his embrace. "I love you."
I was about to tell him I love you too , but he sealed my mouth with a claiming kiss that left me speechless.